Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said that the state government was complying with all standard norms for maintaining transparency in utilisation of Central Fund. Despite maintaining transparency in utilisation of such fund, Assam has been paying dearly for non-submission of Utilisation Certificates (UCs)to the tune of Rs 11,000 crore of central funds in the last fiscal, the Chief Minister said in a statement here.
“The fact remains that there has always been a mismatch between the UCs submitted by the implementing agencies and the Accountant General’s (AG) office due to the dynamic process of continuous flow of funds and ongoing schemes and recognizing this fact, accounting procedure provides for a system of reconciliation,” he said.
After the recent reconciliation in March 2015 itself, it had been reconciled with AG for the UCs already submitted earlier for Rs 5042.19 crore, and for the next few months the balance figures would also be reconciled, he said.
The Chief minister has asked all departments to undertake regular quarterly reconciliation meetings with the AG and the current figures indicated by AG would be completely reconciled within six months. Besides, online computerization of treasuries would be put in place within the next six months to ensure that the reconciliation process became smooth and effective. Gogoi said in many schemes like Rastriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) funding pattern was changed from 90:10, virtually declaring Assam and all other NE states as non-special category states.
Moreover, reduction of allotment of funds by the Union Budget 2015-16 to Assam of more than Rs 7000 crore was no way linked to fund utilization of previous years as the central government discontinued some important programmes and changed the funding pattern to the disadvantage of special category states.
Further, he said, the state government’s financial position was stable enough with salaries and pensions of employees being paid regularly without any hindrance.
All developmental schemes announced by the chief minister would also be implemented during the current year. The state government was, however, deeply concerned over various field functionaries like Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, voluntary personnel associated with MGNREGA as the central government either discontinued these programmes or downscaled them in terms of funds by reducing the funding pattern, the statement said. (PTI)
